Souvenirs of Popular Craftsmen from Turkey

A Journey to Turkey means a journey into the history, culture, trade and pleasure. You can remember about this admiring souvenirs worth bringing from Turkey by anyone who will go to this country.

It is not surprising, because the country is oriental and has very developed market culture. Keep this in mind when traveling to Turkey - whether to Istanbul to explore the history, to Anatolia to sunbathe, to Cappadocia to walk along the subterranean cities and monasteries or to Uludag for skiing.

Five Turkish souvenirs mean trade.

 What should you exactly bring from Turkey as a gift? They have so many goods, but there are five gifts that you undoubtedly need to bring.

Eye of Fatima

You'll find this funny little souvenir anywhere in Turkey. The fact is the Turks, though being Muslims, are quite superstitious people. They are trying to decorate nearly everything with this "Eye of Fatima". This is the eye of blue faience and paintings, which keeps from the evil eye. It is noteworthy that the tradition of this article came from Byzantium, from Constantinople's artisans. Eye of Fatima is for sale in Istanbul at every step, prices vary from 1 lira (about 70 U.S. cents) to... Buy some!

Hookah

Where the East is, there's a hookah. Hookahs are everywhere in Istanbul. You can always rest on a low couch in any cafe or restaurant, sipping flavored tobacco through a hookah pipe... You can also buy a hookah as a souvenir to use it at home. Do not forget to buy a few more packages with tobacco - you'll find such only in Istanbul (with different flavors and fruit, they smell incredibly delicious).

Clay toy soldier

Turkey is not an aggressive Ottoman Empire any more, but it is still full of soldiers. However, all of them are small and... made of clay. Incredibly well made, there are Janissaries and the sultan's soldiers, horsemen and spearmen, infantry and engineers, sailors and pilots... Turkish clay soldiers are real works of art. They are carefully painted, depicting the war uniform of different eras. It is worth to buy a pair of soldiers to put them at home and tell the guests about your trip.

Plaque

Being in Turkey and not bringing at least one sample of Istanbul pottery is the biggest mistake. In order not to blame yourself, visit any shop in Istanbul, where plaques are hanging at the entrance, and buy one of them. Turkish faience is one of the best in the world and the traditions of its paintings of the Ottoman era will be living through the ages... Buy a piece of the Ottoman Empire - Turkish pottery.

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